SELF-ADVOCACY, SELF-DETERMINATION AND ADOLESCENCE : PREPARING FOR A FUTURE = SELF-ADVOCACY, SELF-DETERMINATION AND ADOLESCENCE : PREPARING FOR A FUTURE

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

How we view ourselves and are viewed by others, influences much of how we conduct our Jives: the activities we attempt, who we approach or avoid, which situations we enter into, how we feel about ourselves and what we expect from ourselves. We may see ourselves either as actors in our day-to-day Jives, in control and active participants, or as acted upon, dependent upon the actions and decisions of others, fate or circumstances beyond our control. Historically, people with cognitive disabilities have had the latter experience. They have been deprived of opportunities for choice and control in their lives and view themselves as acted upon. Adults with cognitive disabilities have been denied the chance to live adult lives, at least partially because they have not been seen as assuming adult roles. Consequently, they may not visualize themselves in those roles, and may never act to achieve adult status.